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Anti Aging Gene KlothoAn important part of the discovery was that humans have a very similar version of the gene. The researchers named the gene with the name Klotho, after a Greek goddess who spins life's thread. Ways in which the gene plays a role in prolonging the life of mice is partly by controlling insulin, which was found early on in studies. In 2007, researchers made a discovery that a type of Klotho protein binds to receptors for a metabolic hormone in fat cells, forming a "co-receptor" that enables the hormone to stimulate the processing of glucose. This in turn can lower blood glucose levels in fat cells of mice. They named this protein beta-Klotho, and it is now under research for possible novel drugs on treating humans with obesity and diabetes. There have been some associated downsides to the activation of the Klotho gene. For one, boosting the genes activity did not work as well for life extension on female mice. Also, the researchers who made the original discovery noted that the long-lived mice tended to be less fertile. Anti Aging Gene Klotho - StudiesbetaKlotho is required for metabolic activity of fibroblast growth factor 21. Makoto Kuro-o et al. PNAS 2007 104: 7432-7437. Amelioration of progressive renal injury by genetic manipulation of Klotho gene. Yoshisuke Haruna et al. PNAS, February 13, 2007, vol. 104, no. 7, 2331-2336. Regulation of Fibroblast Growth Factor-23 Signaling by Klotho. Makoto Kuro-o et al. J. Biol. Chem., Mar 2006; 281: 6120 - 6123. Suppression of Aging in Mice by the Hormone Klotho. Makoto Kuro-o et al. Science, Sep 2005; 309: 1829 - 1833.
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